Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-07-06
"Lord, How This World is Given to Lying"

Falstaff, the typical liar and coward, who
is represented by Shakespeare as exclaim-
ing-"Lord, how this world is given to
lying''-has many antiques in the Repub-
lican party, among which may be numbered
the San Francisco Chronicle. From an ar
ticle in that paper dated June gath and
headed-"What are the facts"-we quote
the following, which will surprise every
Virginian who knows it to false in every
particular, and will recognize it as akin to
that other false acknowledgement in the
North during, and after Gov. Fitz Lees
canvass,-that he rode in that canvass
ssthe blood-stained saddle of his uncle, Gen.
Robt. e. Lee:"-
'sDuring Fitzhugh Lees political cam
paign in Virginia in 1886 he excited great
enthusiasm by marching around with
corps of Confederate veterans, carrying
flags and banners which parported to be
battle flags of the Virginia Confederate reg
iments. 1t is now asserted that some time
prior to Cleveland's olive-branch order q
large number of battle flags captured from
| Virginia regiments, particularly those
which had been taken from the troops of
Fitzhugh Lees command, had been turned
over and taken to Virginia.
| Taking these two things together, is it
not more than probable that Fitzhugh Lee
landed himself in the Gubernatorial chair
of the State of Virginia by the aid of rebel
flags to which he could have had no title,
and which must have been taken from their
proper custody, that. of the Secretary OF
War, without any authority whatever? OF
course Governor Lees use of these battle
flags was innocent in itself and legitimate
campaigning tactics, but the people of the
United States want to know whether it is a
fact that he had these flags, and if SO, how
he got them"
When man who is as loyal and national
in his sentiments as Gov. Fitz Lee has beer
since the surrender at Appomattox, is thus
misrepresented, there is no hope that any
other man in the South, who will not pro.
claim himself Republican, can escape be-
ing outragously misrepresented and calum
mated by Northern Republican presses an(
, politicians.
i We can inform the San Francisco Chron
icle that the Southern people are not nov
fighting under the Confederate flag. but tn
} s'Star-spangled Banner" and that the.
leave the Confederate flags and the 'bloody
5 Shirt to Foraker, Sherman, Fairchild
: futile, ct I'd omne genus, who are usinl
5 those flags to excite the Northern. people t.
frenzied hostility to the Southern peopl
] that they may ride into power on the storm
4 of sectional hatred that they may be abb
3 thus to create. They are welcome to max
t all the use they can of the Confederate flags
e and may wave the "bloody shirt" to thei
hearts content, and the South will, with tn
t calmness of an equanimity born of con
e seriousness of right, and firm and unshak
en- spirit of patriotism, remain true to tn
national ensign to which their allegianc
= is now due, and what it properly represents
8 and will despise the efforts of embittere
: sectionalists to ALLEVIATE one portion of tn
: country from the other.
1t is very discouraging to the Souther
: people, who are really anxious to establis
fraternal relations with the Northern pee
pie, to have the latter 10 spit in their face
o when they approach to. extend them th
hand of friendship. This is what, meta
phorically speaking, the leading Republ
can presses and politicians of the North ar
doing. 1t is to be hoped that they do no
represent the sentiment of the majority an
a that they will be properly rebuked for thei
:, hOstile sectional and disloyal conduct